Appointments committee digs in

From the agricultural commission to the zoning board, four town councilors shared insights financial, philosophical and personal at an appointments committee meeting May 20. While advancing a slew of names for action by the full council, chair Leah Curtis and colleagues Fred Chirigotis, Jim Crocker, and Hank Farnham (Jane Joakim couldn’t attend) proceeded cautiously with a few.

Edward F. Maroney

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Councilors have questions they want answered From the agricultural commission to the zoning board, four town councilors shared insights financial, philosophical and personal at an appointments committee meeting May 20. While advancing a slew of names for action by the full council, chair Leah Curtis and colleagues Fred Chirigotis, Jim Crocker, and Hank Farnham (Jane Joakim couldn’t attend) proceeded cautiously with a few. The three-hour session, called to review town committee appointments for terms ending June 30, turned out to be a wide-ranging tour of the challenges facing Barnstable. Planning board members Patrick Princi and Marlene Weir were recommended for reappointment, but when Chirigotis placed Felicia Penn’s name before the committee, he did not get a second. After the committee acted on Princi and Weir, Curtis asked whether anyone wanted to return to Penn’s appointment. “I think something may come up on the council floor,” Farnham said. “I wouldn’t say she’s not being nominated,” Crocker said, “just not tonight.” The committee postponed action to its next meeting, set for June 9. Penn has been a vocal supporter of Stuart Bornstein’s proposed five-story Hilton Garden Inn across from Barnstable Municipal Airport, and has been critical of the town administration for what she considers its lack of support for drafting a regulatory agreement. She was one of five members to vote to recommend the agreement to the town council for passage. If the fewest words were spoken regarding a seat on the planning board, the most were heard on a reappointment to the golf advisory committee. Crocker stressed that he was not addressing the individual up for reappointment – Mary Creighton, who by all reports is a very interested member who asks good questions – so much as the situation of the town-owned courses. “I understand it’s struggling to pay its way,” Crocker said of the Hyannis Golf Course. Committee members agreed that a rugged winter, months of reconstruction on Route 132, and the nose-diving economy cut down rounds played. “When we bought a second course (Hyannis),” Crocker said, “we put a burden on their backs. They’ve got to make it pay.” Golf receipts go through an enterprise account that is supposed to be self-funding. “Any shortfall of an enterprise account falls out of our [town] budget,” Crocker said. Farnham said he hoped more information about the status of the town courses, and efforts to cut costs while increasing rounds, would be heard last night (May 21). The recreation department was due to make a budget presentation to the council after the Patriot’s deadline. “The numbers are absolutely down,” said Curtis, the council’s liaison to the golf committee. “They’ve cut staff [hours].” Crocker said he wants to learn more about the situation so he can understand what qualifications are most needed on the committee to help make the course viable. He said that the incumbent might well be that person. Golf committee chairman Terry Duenas and town recreation director David Curley could not be reached for comment late Thursday afternoon.